Why the UK is the best place in the world to die

The UK provides the best end-of-life care in the world, ranking highly for quality and availability of services in a new global study.

A report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) analysed services in 80 countries and concluded that palliative care provided by the NHS and hospices in Britain was "second to none".

"The UK is an acknowledged leader in palliative care," said author Annie Pannelay. "That reflects its comprehensive strategy towards the issue as well as the improvements that are being made."

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Countries were assessed on a number of criteria, including quality of the hospitals and hospices, staffing levels and skills, and affordability and quality of care, according to the BBC.

The UK received a score of 93.9 out of 100, achieving top marks for affordability and quality. Australia, New Zealand and Ireland also scored highly, while Iraq and Bangladesh were ranked the worst.

The study's authors warned that combating perceptions of death and cultural taboos is crucial to improving end-of-life care around the world.

"Death and dying are stigmatised in some cultures to the point where they are taboo," the report says, while "in western societies death has become medicalised and curative procedures are often prioritised ahead of palliative care."

Despite the UK's top ranking, experts warn that there is still room for improvement as the population continues to live longer and deaths become more "drawn out".

"There can be no room for complacency, especially as the demand for palliative care is increasing," said Claire Henry, from the National Council for Palliative Care.

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